The survey conducted by Vieclam24h with nearly 3,000 people (nearly 2,000 workers and nearly 1,000 businesses).
Accordingly, more and more workers are being laid off. Among the laid off workers, more than 72.7% have proactively returned to work, but only 24.7% of them have found suitable jobs in a short period of time. Thus, the journey to reintegrate into the job market for workers is still full of challenges.
In the first half of 2025, the wave of personnel cuts continued to spread in many countries, especially affecting Vietnam strongly. Industries such as manufacturing, retail, finance and technology have witnessed many large-scale streamlinings. In Vietnam, more than 2,500 employees in the banking industry have been cut; the textile, footwear and electronics industries also recorded a significant decrease in human resources.
Nearly 50% of employees still working said they felt a lot of pressure, while more than 60% no longer felt attached to the business as before.
On the other hand, businesses are still seriously lacking people. Up to 77.4% of businesses assessed that recruitment was more difficult in the same period, especially in the group of formal and mid-level employees - positions that are considered the "backbone" of operations. The main reason is the lack of skills and experience, followed by the expectation imbalance between candidates and employers. Many businesses have not really adjusted their treatment policies, while workers are increasingly interested in the factors of working environment, personal development and stability.
However, there are still positive signals. About 56.2% of enterprises said that they will expand the scale of human resources in the next 6 months, especially focusing on positions associated with growth such as engineers, sales, and skilled workers. Vietnamese workers also showed good adaptability, with nearly 30% considering job loss as an opportunity for change or rescue - a higher rate than the average for the whole world.
